browne



W. G. BROWNE.

CAN OPENER.

No. 541,034. Patented'June 1-1, 1895.

lower faces.

UNITE Brien.

ATENT WVI-LLIAM G. BROWVNE, 'OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THEBROWVNE & DOWVD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,034, dated June 11, 1895.

Application filed November 26, 1894. $erial No. 530,009. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. BRoWNE, ofMeriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new Improvement in Can-Openers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings andthe letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of 'thesame, and which said drawings constitute part "ofthisspeciiication, and represent, in

Figure 1, a view in side elevation of a canopener constructed inaccordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a plan View thereof; Fig. 3, afront view showing the notch in the fulcrum; Fig. 4, aplan view of oneof the modified forms which my invention may assume.

My invention relates to an improvement in can-openers, the object beingto produce at a low cost for manufacture, a simple, strong, durable,convenient and effective article, composed of few pieces, attractivein-appearance, and well adapted for advertising purposes.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in a can-opener havingits handle and fulcrum composed of one or more pieces of sheet-metal,and having a portion of its fulcrum extending at or substantially ataright angle across the upper cutting edge of the knife toward the outerend thereof, and separatedtherefrom bya narrow clearance space.

My invention further consists in certain de-' tails of construction andcombinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed outin the claims.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the handle A, and fulcrumA of the device are-formed from a single piece of sheet metal, which isbent into therequired shape, and so that its ends come together inposition to respectively receive the rivets B and B, which pass throughthe shank O, of the knife C, and also through that portion of the striplying opposite its ends. The tapering, loopshaped handle A, thus formed,is hollow, and open above and below, or at its upper and Such a handleis agreeable to the hand, and enables the device to be firmly gripped,while its outer face affords ample opportunity for the display ofadvertising matter if desired. It also forms a convenient a notch a,which is seen in Fig. 3.

housing for a cork-screw D, in case it is desired to combine such anarticle with the device. As herein shown, the cork screw is formed ofwire, the shank of which is bent to form an eye D, receiving a rivet Dpassing through the converging portions of the sheetmetal strip at theforward end of the handle A of the instrument.

The fulcrum A of the tool is triangular in general form, and merges atits tapering inner end or base into the tapering forward end of thehandle, so that the said ends of the handle and fulcrum virtually form aneck which receives the shank of the knife, the body of which is locatedin a vertical plane below a horizontal plane coincident with the loweredge of the handle and fulcrum. The outer end of the fulcrum crosses theupper, cutting edge of the knife toward the outer end thereof, at orsubstantially at, a right angle, with a clearance space between it andthe said portion of the knife, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. As hereinshown, also, the center of the lower edge of its outer portion isconstructed with limit myself, however, to forming the fulcrum in theshape shown, for my invention will be satisfied if it is formed of ashape which will permit. a portion of it to extend across the upper edgeof the knife near the outer end thereof, and substantially ata rightangle to its longitudinal plane, in the manner shown.

As herein shown, the several portions of both the handle and fulcrum liein planes parallel with the plane of the knife, and that construction Iprefer, though I do not limit myself to it.

In the modified construction shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings, the handleE and fulcrum F have substantially the same forms as shown in the otherfigures, but instead of being made from one piece of metal, they areformed independently of each other, and secured together by rivets G C",which also pass through the shank H, of the knife H. As represented,

and preferably, the ends of the strip from which the fulcrum F, isformed, are inserted between the ends of the strip from which the handleE is formed.

In view of the modifications shown and described, and of others whichmay obviously I do not be made, I would have it understood that I do notlimit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described,buthold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairlyfall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A can-opener, comprising a knife,'a sheetmetal fulcrum, a portion ofwhich extends at or substantially ata right angle across the up percutting edge of the knife toward the outer end thereof and separatedtherefrom by a narrow clearance space; and a hollow, loopshaped,sheet-metal handle, open above and below, or at its upper and lowerfaces, substantially as set forth.

2. A can-opener, comprising a knife, a sheetmetal fulcrum, a portion ofwhich extends at or substantially at a right angle across the uppercutting edge of the knife toward the outer end thereof and separatedtherefrom by a narrow clearance space; and a hollow, loopshaped,sheet-metal handle open above and below, or at its upper and lowerfaces, the said fulcrum and handle being formed from asingle, long stripof sheet metal, to which the knife is riveted at a point between thebase of the fulcrum and the tapering forward end of the handle,substantially as set forth.

3. A can-opener comprising a-loop-shaped handle tapering forward, afulcrum, triangular in general outline, and a knife, the shank of whichis riveted between the base of the fulcrum and the tapering forward endof the knife, and the fulcrum containing a portion which extends at orsubstantially at a right angle across the upper cutting edge of theknife toward the outer end thereof, and separated therefrom by a narrowclearance space, substantially asdescribet].

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in thepresence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM G. BROWNE.

Witnesses:

WILLILAMC. MUELLER, WILBUR F. DAN T.

